Power consumption is increasingly a prime consideration in the design of electronic components. Advancing circuit technology has allowed the development of devices such as mobile telephones, person digital assistants, digital cameras, and devices that combine various features of each. These devices are increasingly seen as necessary in our daily activities.
In these and other example devices convenience is an important factor in determining commercial success, and portability is of particular concern for mobile devices. For example, if a device is too heavy or requires recharging a battery too frequently, the device may fail in the marketplace, even if the device has noteworthy functional capabilities. A larger battery may provide a longer charge life, but the added weight may make holding or carrying the device more cumbersome. Because the power consumed by a device largely influences the size of the battery, power usage is an important consideration in designing a device.
Power usage also affects heat dissipation requirements in electronic devices. The more power consumed by a device, the more heat that must be dissipated. Failure to suitably provide for heat dissipation may create undesirable hot spots and in extreme cases cause injury. One approach to address heat dissipation issues is to design a structure that adequately dissipates the heat consistent with other design requirements, such as the device's footprint. However, this approach may unduly complicate the manufacture of the device and lead to increased costs. A more desirable approach would be to reduce the power consumed by the device, thereby reducing the amount of heat needing to be dissipated.
A method and apparatus that address the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, are therefore desirable.